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He gently squeezes my shoulder. “You came home.”
“So did you. Why?”
“When Mom called me and told me—Jesus, Brade. She was sobbing so hard I could barely make out her words. I assumed Dad was dead. When she told me it was you, that she wasn’t sure if you’d make it—hell, at that moment, I’m not sure if she even knew if you were alive—I thought for sure I was having a heart attack. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. I got in the car and started driving. The next morning, I called my boss and quit my job. I couldn’t live with myself if I kept running the way I had been. I knew it was time to come home and face my shit, deal with it. Here I am.”
“Well, good to know you care, I guess.”
“I’vealwayscared. Even when I suck at showing that. I’m truly trying to make up for it now.”
I grumble. I can’t deny I’ve wanted this for a long time. I’m mad, but at the same time, people have given me a hell of a lot of grace. He might’ve fucked up for longer, but I fucked up way harder.
I hold my fist out to him. “Here’s to making up for all the shit we’ve screwed up.”
He laughs and bumps his fist against mine. “Here’s to that. Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not flipping out on me. Or hating me, I guess.”
“I’ve never hated you. I was just mad—still am a little bit. But if everyone else can forgive me, I can forgive you.”
A car door shuts outside and my brow furrows. I really hope my parents aren’t back already.
“Good. And perfect timing on our talk.”
“Why?”
He smiles deviously and heads for the door. “Well, I know I promised to bring your PlayStation down, but I lied. Hopefully, this is better.”
He swings the door open and Leigh, Nick, Maia, and Vince walk in decked out in their prom dresses and tuxes, carrying bags of food.
“What the hell are you guys doing here?”
“You couldn’t come to prom, so we decided to bring prom to you,” Nick says.
“Plus, we’re over the hype of prom and all the annoying people who will be there,” Leigh adds, strutting through the door in a skin-tight teal dress that shows off her tiny bump.
“She means Miller and Ashley,” Vince says with a laugh as Leigh scowls.
“Plus, we brought a date for you.” My eyes go to Maia dressed in a wine-red low-cut dress with a flowy bottom and slits up the sides. In her arms is Harper, dressed in a glittery pink tutu and giggling.
Maia walks over and sits down next to me, letting Harper jump into my arms as she does. “We couldn’t do this without you. We’re having prom right here. Might not be as fancy, but it will be more fun. And we’ll all be together.”
Her vibrant smile is infectious. It’s also comforting. For a lot of reasons, but mostly because it reminds me of our childhood. Of the girl I asked to dance at her dad’s wedding. What surprises me the most, though, is that it doesn’t affect my heart the same way it used to. Rather than my body firing up because of it, I relax in the comfort and ease I feel between us.
“Here.” I shake my head as something hits me in the face, much to Harper’s enjoyment. Pulling it off, I see a suit coat. “Put that on,” my brother instructs, leaning over to help me.
“Perfect,” Maia says, tugging on one of the lapels.
“Do Mom and Dad know about this?” I ask.
Brent shrugs. “Eh. I figured it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission, as they say. Harper’s here, so they can’t say no.” He shoots me a wink and I take a look around the room.
Nick has his arms wrapped around Leigh and she’s completely lost in him. Vince is on the footrest, his hand on Maia’s thigh. She looks happier than she’s been in a long time. Harper pulls at my ear, then pokes my nose.
My heart still feels heavy, but I’m grateful for where I am, that they’re all here.
“Food!” Leigh shouts, to which we all laugh. Everyone settles in on the couch, passing containers and plates around as Harper tries to swipe food from all of us.
Once we’ve finished, the night turns into playing games, giving each other shit, Maia and Leigh attempting and failing at a coordinated dance, Harper causing trouble, and Nick and Vince having a hilarious dance-off.
I wonder what tonight would’ve been like if everything hadn’t become such a mess. Would we be at prom right now? Or what if I hadn’t crashed my truck? Would we all even be talking? Fuck, I hate what happened, I hate what I did, but I’m glad things turned out this way. Besides, this is way more fun than prom ever would have been.
